Paddle-wheel



UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

ROLLIN GERMAIN, OF BUFFALO, NEW YORK.

PADDIlE-WHEEL.

Specification of Letters Patent No. 27,794, dated April 10, 1860.

To all 'whom 'it may concern:

Be it known that I, ROLLIN GERMAIN, of the city of Buffalo and State of New` York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Paddle-Vvheels for Vessels for Navigation; and I do hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and exact description of the construction and operation thereof, making a part of this'specification, in which- Figure I, is a side elevation. Fig. II, is a front elevation. Fig. III, is a longitudinal section of the compression spring and its inclosing case. Fig. IV, is a cross sectionvof the paddle representing the curve or delection of its corners. Fig. V, is a cross section showing the greatest thickness of the paddle at the middle with a gradual taper to its edges. Fig. VI, is a cross section of a modified form of paddle, having one side lat with its other side gradually rising from an edge to its greatest thickness in the middle..

A, represents the shaft upon which the wheel revolves; B, hub; XV, water line; C, arms which are firmly connected with the hub. The wheel may have two sets of arms as in this instance, or but one set, or more than two sets according to convenience.

I), represents the upper rim and E the lower rim. These are securely fastened tov the arms as represented at y in the drawings; F, cross pieces which connect the two rims E, and serve as braces; Gr, paddles. These are made thick and strong in the middle and taper each way from the middle to an edge as represented in Figs. IV and V and aresuspended or hung upon their centers upon gudgeons or a shaft passing through the middle of each paddle and connected with the outer and inner rims D and E of the wheel, which rims have journal bearings, so that the paddles are held between the two rims with their gudgeons or shafts pointing to the centre of the wheel, and so that they may be made to revolve upon their gudgeons or axles as represented in Figs. I and II. The upper corners of the paddles are turned or deflected in opposite directions as represented at Fig. IV.

Fig. V, represents a cross section of the paddle at right angles to the shaft through the middle. J paddle shaft; K journal box of paddle shaft.

c, Fig. III, represents an india-rubber `or gutta-percha spring inclosed in a case or tube fw. The rubber or gutta percha has a hole through the .middle through which the metallic rod passes, and s is a cap screwed on the end of this rod which cap rests or presses on the end of the rubber or gutta percha within the case. Upon the opposite end of the tube or case is a head t screwed into it with a hole through the middle for a rod to pass through and play in. The rod connects with the paddle shaft or gudgeon as shown at m. The case or tube is fastened to an arm of the wheel as shown at r, in Fig. I.

There are two springs to each paddle. The springs are strained or compressed by screwing down the caps on the ends of the rod: or by screwing the heads of the tubes through which the rod passes into the tubes, so as to cause the springs to pull at all times with sufficient force upon their connections with the gudgeons or shafts of the paddles as to hold the paddles in a line `with the rims of the wheel when passing through the atmosphere as shown at Gr in Fig. l, but not with so great a force as to prevent the water from turning the `paddles as they pass edgewise into it, to a position transverse to the rims of the wheel as shown at G in Figs. I and IVI. For that purpose the rods are connected with pins on the end of the shaft as represented at m in Figs. I and III, which pins stand a little on each side of the center of the end of the shaft or gudgeon, so that the pull of the springs upon the paddles tends to keep the edges of the paddles in the line of motion of the wheel; or in other words to cause the paddles to be held in and pass through the air edgewise, and thereby encounter but small resistance therefrom.

There should be a oint in this part of the rod near the shaft, or a short chain connecting it with the shaft as shown at r in Fig. III, so as to permit the paddles turning halfway round in case their wings come in collision with any substance immovable or diiicult to be thrust out of their way, that they may readily turn and glide by and be less liable to injury therefrom.

By the curve or deflection of'the upper corners of the paddle as shown m Fig. IV the paddle is made as it enters the water, to strike the water with a glancing blow or in other words the pressure of the water 1s rendered greater upon one side of the paddle than the other. This will begin to open or turn the paddle which will obviously continue until the pressure of the water upon the two wings of the paddle is equalized. This would bring the paddles round to a position at right angles with the rims of the wheel were it not for a modifying influence of the springs hereafter described. This opening or turning of the paddle will cause a further straining of the springs; which v strain will be exerted by the side or wing of the paddle first entering the water and the addle will not therefore be turned round by, the action of the water quite toa right angle with the rims of the wheel but the wing of the paddle first entering the water will stand more or less in advance of the other wing and as it approaches the surface in coming out of the water there will be a large volume or weight of water pressing or weighing down upon the other wingwhich excess of weight or pressure acting in conjunction with the springs will cause the paddle to return to its original position and come out of the water edgewise. It is also obvious that the springs in forcing the paddle back to its original position will impart to it a shaking or vibratory motion and air in freeing it from the water that would hold to it by cohesion.

Springs of different kinds may be used and placed in different positions upon the wheel or in the paddle itself and may be attached in various ways to the wheel or paddle. What is most important in this connection is, that they be made strong, and be strained to that degree of stiffness as to hold the paddle edgewise in the air with steadiness at the highest contemplated ve locity of the wheel. For the difference of resistance they will encounter in the air and in the water is so great that the latter will readily turn them to a position nearly at right angles with the rims of the wheel against a much greater counteracting force than is necessary to hold them edgewise in the atmosphere as above mentioned. Therefore should the springs be strained to a greater stiffness than necessary for the purposes aforesaid no bad action or consequences would ensue therefrom without it was carried to great extremes. For it is not only obvious that the water will open or turn the paddles but that the force exerted in making the change is not lost to propulsion.

The corners of the paddles are turned or deflected in opposite directions so that the paddles will open in the same way by a reversed, as by a forward motion of the wheel. They may be turned or deflected in the same direction in which event the paddle would turn or revolve in a different direction by a reversed motion of the wheel.

As the object of turning or deflecting the corners of the paddle as above mentioned is to cause it to strike the water with a glancing blow similar results may be produced by turning or deflecting the other corners or some intermediate or other parts of it in either direction above described, except that the process of opening the paddle would not commence as early. Or one side or face of a paddle thick in the middle and tapering each way therefrom may have the other face straight as shown in Fig. VI and the straight l side or face be held by the springs in a line parallel with the rims of the wheel. Or the same object may be secured by other means than thereabove described as for instance- The springs may be so arranged and attached to theV gudgeons or shafts or paddle as to hold the paddle a little oblique to, or out of line with the rims of the wheel. In all of which cases the paddle in entering the water edgewise would strike it with a glancing blow, or meet with a greater pressure from the water upon one side of it than the other. I therefore do not intend to limit myself to the particular mode of curving or deecting the upper corners of the paddle as first above described but wish to include such other modes of forming the paddle and of placing or hanging it as I have mentioned and all such modification thereof calculated to produce similar results as do not depart from the principles of my invention; my object being to cause the paddle, held by the action of a spring or springs so as to pass edgewise through the atmosphere, to strike into the water with a glancing blow, or encounter a greater pressure from the water on one side of it than on the other, and be thus turned to a position where it will operate upon the water with great propelling force until it nears the surface in coming out of the water and then by the joint action of the water and springs, to be turned back so as to emerge therefrom edgewise and with a shaking or vibratory motion. And with paddles made and hung and acting in combination with a spring force substantially as above described, a constant strain upon the springs that shall be sufficient to hold the paddles with steadiness as they pass through the air and in such a position that they shall pass through the atmosphere edgewise, is all that is necessary to effect these changes.

I therefore claim- The construction of a paddle wheel for vessels for navigation, wherein the paddles are made and hung substantially as above set forth, in combination with a spring 0r springs placed upon the Wheels, and so conto a position transverse to the rims of the necting With and acting upon the paddles, Wheel, for the purposes, and snli stantiallT as as to hold them edgeWse in the line of moherein described. tion, While passing through the atmosphere,

and cause them to enter the Water edgeWise, Vitnesses: and allow them to glance, or turn in the Water (by the action of the Water thereon) i ROLLIN GERMAIN.

W. H. FoRBUsH, A. M. WHEELER. 

